


The Sharpest Thorn

by Malice



Category: The Avengers, Thor - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-30
Updated: 2012-06-30
Packaged: 2017-11-08 20:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/447347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malice/pseuds/Malice





	The Sharpest Thorn

Thor had fought for many causes and some had held more virtue than others. This wasn't just another battle though. It was a building block, or it would be the final brick in a falling bridge. He could not tell which it would be, but he still held hope in his heart. It was weak and tired, Hope was tired of it's fight, but she still clung to the god of thunder. 

In all his years of training and battle, he did not go full tilt against Loki. He never had, and he hoped he never would have to come to that. It was not as if Loki couldn't handle the force behind each swing, but it was with great love and respect that he held back. He never wanted to hurt his brother when they sparred. He had before, usually after Loki goaded him to stop holding back repeatedly. Even now...he couldn't bring himself to bring his hammer down upon his brother. 

"Look around you. Do you think this madness will end in your rule?"  
How had it come to this? How could all of this madness come so far?

He pleaded to reason with his brother once before, but the man of iron had come and knocked him away. As he grappled with his brother now would these words reach him? He was not asking his brother to forgive him, to forgive their Father. He was not asking Loki anything but to stop and give pause, to see what he was doing. 

His brother had a temper, but this was not the same soul he had grown up with all those years ago. Was it possible, was there even a chance that he had never known Loki at all? Doubt gnawed at him and carved at his hope. No. Thor trusted himself and his memories. This was just another horrible mistake. Loki could learn. He could be forgiven. There was still hope.

Still, Odin had still sent him to protect Midgard and to bring his brother home. The order had chilled him but so had the shock of learning that Loki was alive...

"It's too late."  
And for a precious moment, as his gaze searched Loki's face, Thor saw the same lad that he knew all those years ago. Somewhere the brother he knew and loved was still there. Had there been realization of his action in those green eyes? Could he have finally gotten through to him? Would he listen?   
"It's too late to stop it."

No. This gauntlet could and would eventually end. He, they could see to it. It wouldn't make everything right. It wouldn't fix all that had been done and unmade. They could not bring the lives that were lost, but it would be a start. Recovery. This was no more than a strange fever that had plagued Loki. For a moment Thor thought it was breaking, and weary hope in his chest fluttered with great vigor. 

"No. We can, together," he voiced gently.  
They could put an end to all of this; as warriors, as Asgardians and and as brothers. He watched Loki's face carefully, trying to figure out what expressions were swirling there. And then that smile. It was a weakened form of the one he knew so well, but even a shattered mirror still gave reflection. Thor smiled encouragingly, at peace with knowing that Loki wasn't lost just yet.

Then he felt it...The blade that fit perfectly in a section of his armor. Thor wasn't certain what hurt worse, the wound, or whom had given it to him. Pain crossed his face as the blade cut and scorned his flesh. Dazed he found himself dropping his hammer and slowly stepping backwards. He could not look Loki in the eye at the moment. 

The blade acted much like a key; it unlocked Thor's darkest fears and suspicions. It was just another lie, a well played trick...And as he gripped the hilt of the blade as he found himself falling to the floor in pain, despair, and rage. Breathing hard he felt the blood threaten to escape through his armor. He heard Loki speak something, hardly a whisper as they remained upon the tower. 

Dazed and bleeding he looked up at the stranger that stood before him.   
"Sentiment."   
Thor managed to grasp the word and looked down to the floor. When he raised his head once more, Loki was gone. 

He would endure the wound like the many that had come before it. He reached for his hammer and pulled the blade from his side, studying it with sad eyes. There was too much too be done to sit here and mourn. There was still a battle to fight, and the numbers of their enemy were still growing. He tried to cauterize the wound in a hurry before leaving the tower in silence. 

Even as he fought wave after wave of Chitauri and struck down the Leviathans, and as they struck him back. The pain that they inflected upon him was nothing in comparison to what Loki had done. He had left the sharpest of thorns in his side. With each swing of his hammer it released a note of fresh pain, but he did what he had always done.  
He fought and endured the pain.


End file.
